MAITUM, Sarangani (October 27, 2017) - Every thanksgiving in pioneering barangays in Sarangani covered by the Special Area of Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program is offered to give back the blessings the beneficiaries have received.

During the Thanksgiving Day in Barangay Upo on October 23, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol visited the beneficiaries of SAAD. He came from Kidapawan City then headed straight to Maitum to join the celebration.

Piñol started his speech speech by saying, “Gov, yours is the most successful SAAD projects, actually,” referring to Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon.

Piñol said “I really put my full support in Sarangani for the SAAD project because of your fast process and implementation. In fact, the other provinces in the country are still on their PR’s (purchase requests) for this program and far from their first harvest. But in Sarangani, you already have your first harvest.”

“This is what President Duterte wants — for us in the higher positions to go to the areas where we can easily reach out and help people with their needs.”

“If not us, who will have the initiative to hear what people really needs?” he added.

Piñol said he wants to hear the voices of the less fortunate and try his best to help. He then gathered random questions from the Indigenous People (IP) of Barangay Upo. Some asked for help regarding their harvests.

The Secretary gave his word and was open for ideas for the betterment of Barangay Upo and also for Sarangani Province as a whole.

Piñol said he wants to put up seven rice mills for the province. He will also help market the upland rice of Sarangani and give financial capital for the products. He is also open for the idea to put up P60 million for a corn complex and another P60 million pesos for a rice complex for farmers to market their own harvest so businessmen will get a fair trade.

Beyond just rice products, he committed to put up a multiplier farm for native hogs and a slaughter house for additional income of the farmers.

Piñol also wants to upgrade the farmers’ learning center here by financing the road construction, to help the less fortunate to be trained and be able to have their own harvest in the future.

Furthermore, he would like to put up a dairy farm, but must validate the areas first.

Secretary Piñol said he would give horses for the families to use, machines for abaca production, and lastly, financial lending for the IPs worth P30 million with easy access financing.

As part of the thanksgiving celebration, there is always a preacher or what they called ‘Haggai Educator’ who gives a lecture about why SAAD must have a thanksgiving program. This is to appreciate and value what the Almighty have given them during their farming.

As what Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon is always saying to the SAAD beneficiaries: “You must give back the 10% of your harvest to the church to thank God for His abundant blessings — because without Him, you are nothing. Then, the rest of your harvest is for your food supply until your next harvest, and the remaining is for you to market.” (Donna Mahusay/SARANGANI COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)

RAPTOR HILL, Glan, Sarangani (October 26, 2017) - Members of Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network join the migratory raptor watch on October 24 at Barangay Rio del Pilar. They came from Japan just to witness the raptors before migrating to Indonesia. To sum it up, together with the Environmental Conservation and Protection Center and Raptorwatch Network Philippines, the birders have witnessed some 120,000 raptors since September 18 at Raptor Hill in Barangay Rio del Pilar. The migratory birds of prey approach the Philippines in September and October to warm up after leaving Taiwan, come and roost in barangay Rio del Pilar, and depart for Indonesia. (Jake Narte-Donna Mahusay/SARANGANI COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)

RAPTOR HILL, Glan, Sarangani (October 26, 2017) - Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network president Toru Yamazaki thanks residents of Barangay Rio del Pilar who were with the Japanese group during the migratory raptor watch on October 24. Yamazaki said he was overwhelmed by the hospitality shown by the locals. (Jake Narte-Donna Mahusay/SARANGANI COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)

GLAN, Sarangani (October 26, 2017) - Glan Mayor Victor James Yap, Sr. (left) welcomes the president of Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Toru Yamazaki, and the rest of the group that came from Japan to witness migratory raptors in Barangay Rio del Pilar on October 24. (Jake Narte-Donna Mahusay/SARANGANI COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)

MAITUM, Sarangani (October 25, 2017) - Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol (3rd from right) gives to Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, Vice Governor Elmer de Peralta and other officials a check for the remaining P75 million for the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program during the Thanksgiving Day at Barangay Upo on October 23. With the P25-million fund that the DA downloaded last December 2016 for the primary tranche, Sarangani has at first picked seven of its poorest barangays identified by the Community-Based Monitoring System and Social Welfare Indicators covering 436 hectares of upland rice and 190 hectares of white corn. (Jake Narte/SARANGANI COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)

MAITUM, Sarangani (October 25, 2017) - “Gov, yours is the most successful SAAD projects, actually,” Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol started his speech with this phrase, referring to Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, during his visit at Barangay Upo for the celebration of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Project Thanksgiving Day. The secretary said that he really put his full support in Sarangani for the SAAD project because of its fast process and implementation. (Jake Narte/SARANGANI COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)

MAITUM, Sarangani (October 25, 2017) - Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon speaks before guests and beneficiaries of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Project during their Thanksgiving Day on October 23 at Barangay Upo. The governor said “Barangay Upo has really been blessed by the Almighty.” He also uttered a Bible verse which emphasizes that the farmers should give back the 10% of the harvest to the church as an appreciation of God’s blessing. (Jake Narte/SARANGANI COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)

MAITUM, Sarangani (October 25, 2017) – Acting Mayor Tito Balazon, Sr. speaks during the Thanksgiving Day of farmers from Barangay Upo when the Biyaheng Bukid: Programa ni Pres. Digong was brought into town by Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol who visited the Special Area for Agricultural Development(SAAD) site made especially for the Indigenous People community on October 23. (Afren de Guzman/MAITUM INFORMATION OFFICE)